Arsenal have brought in two extremely good players already and even Wenger said that there may be one more top class addition to come, but what about the players that have to be unloaded to make room for them on the wage sheet and on the squad sheet?
Of course Santi Cazorla is unlikely to get a shirt number at the start of the season, and Per Mertesacker has told us he wants a back room role rather than a playing position. Yaya Sanogo has taken up a wasted squad place for many years, but the latest rumours are saying that he has agreed to join Toulouse back in his native France. Talksport reported yesterday: Former Arsenal flop Yaya Sanogo is on the verge of signing for Toulouse, according to reports in France.
The striker is out of contract after being released by Arsenal at the end of June.
The Frenchman, who spent four years with the Gunners, has been in talks with Toulouse for over a week.
Now, according to France Football, the final touches are being made ahead of Sanogo’s switch to the Ligue 1 club.
Talks with the 24-year-old are said to have gone very well and an official announcement could be made on Friday.
Meanwhile, it was a near certainty that Lucas Perez would be leaving after his nightmare season sitting on the Gunners bench. He is very keen to try and win in place in Spain’s World Cup team, and was quoted as saying on ESPN: “My wish is not to spend another year like the one I’ve had,”
“Arsenal and the coach [Arsene Wenger] have treated me very well but I want to play. Wenger has been very honest with me and with the World Cup around the corner, what I want is to play and if it can be in Spain, all the better.”
“I know that I can go to the World Cup but in order for that to happen, I must play. Spain coach [Julen Lopetegui] has spoken to some teammates and told them that he would like to call me up [for the national team], but if I don’t play….”
Perez has expressed his preference to return to his home club Deportivo La Coruna and according to the president Tino Fernandez, this is also their wish. “I would like for Lucas to return,” Fernandez was quoted as saying. “I’ve never hidden the fact that if we could [bring him back], we would. If we can do it this year, we will; if not, it will be next year. I’m convinced that he [Perez] will return to Deportivo one day.”
“It’s not easy,” he continued. “He has a big contract and he is at a club that paid a lot of money for him.”
So that will be another two removed from the squad list, and I expect Kieran Gibbs to also depart since Sead Kolasinac has arrived to compete with Monreal for left back. Maybe Giroud must go as he won’t be happy to be second (or third!) string striker again this season. One more striker that MUST go is Chuba Akpom, he certainly won’t play. Otherwise we may hope that the Ox will stay, but that will be his own decision in the end. And what about Jack Wilshere?
Who do you think must be leaving in the near future?
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